


And the Stars

by Fishyz9



Category: Days of Our Lives
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-09-30
Updated: 2013-09-30
Packaged: 2017-12-28 02:16:39
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,942
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/986491
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Fishyz9/pseuds/Fishyz9
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Will waited for him; he’s been Sonny’s loyal friend all this time as promised, but pressure from friends and family prompts Sonny to finally give loving someone else―Will, a chance.</p>
            </blockquote>





	And the Stars

**Author's Note:**

> Sequel to Hung the Moon, found here: http://archiveofourown.org/works/941999. This fic will not make much sense without having read this first.

And the Stars.

I sit down next to him in the booth, making sure to jostle him and brush my shoulder against his so that he looks at me. Brown eyes turn my way, and he offers me a small smile and a questioning lift of his eyebrow. I don’t say anything. I don’t have anything _to_ say. I just wanted to sit with him because he seems a little blue tonight. His smile changes from friendly to affectionate in a second and he nudges me back.

I like to think that we have our own silent language built up out of smiles and secretive looks. It’s weird, but so is everything about our relationship, so cool beans.

“Ugh.”

We both look at Neil; sitting slouched in his seat across from us. When he says nothing else I feel Sonny’s shoulders shake as he laughs quietly next to me.

“ _What_?” I laugh with him.

“I wanna dance.” Neil pouts.

“So go dance, dork.” Sonny says, reaching for his beer.

Neil glances over at the dance floor, and then looks back at us. “One of you dance with me.”

“No.” Sonny and I say at the same time.

“Please?”

“I’m not in the mood. Plus…dancing with you would be weird.”

Neil looks at me and gives me a pitifully hopeful smile.

“ _No_.”

“Come on, please?”

It’s a low key gay bar, just drinks and a small dance floor. The music’s slow and unobtrusive so that people can have actual conversations, rather than shouting over the steady thump of rave music. I like this place, and I think that’s why Sonny picked it. “Why do you want to dance with one of us?”

“Ever heard of guilty by association?”

“Yes.” We both say.

“ _Well_ …” Neil draws out, as if it should be obvious. “Dancing with one of you would make me _hot_ by association. Thus scoring me a date or a kiss or a friggin handshake with another actual human being.”

“That is both ridiculous and pathetic.” Sonny mutters into his beer glass.

“You guys suck.” Neil sulks, getting up and wandering over to the bar.

Sonny shakes his head, and I grin at him. “What?”

“Don’t tell Neil, but I actually kind of like him now.”

I glance back at Neil, who’s now loitering by the bar, and I have to concede; despite the ups and downs in our friendship, Neil is a good guy to have in your corner. That, and he can be funny as shit. “Yeah, he’s okay.”

I look at Sonny when his shoulders lift and drop in a heavy sigh. “Okay.” I nudge him with my elbow. “What’s up with you?”

“Nothing” he says, playing innocent.

“Don’t give me ‘nothing’, Kiriakis. I said _what’s up_?”

He looks at me warily, and worries his lip.

I move back a fraction so I can turn in my seat and face him fully. “You’re biting your lip, which means it’s something serious.”

“No.” He shakes his head. “Nothing like that.”

“Then what?” I slide my arm across the back of our booth so that I can touch the rim of his collar. I’m always so careful to not press him, to not push too far, but this time I let the backs of my fingers brush against his neck.

He closes his eyes for a second. I don’t know if that’s a good or a bad thing.

“It’s just family stuff.”

“Okay,” I edge gently. “Do you want to tell me about it?”

He shakes his head, visibly attempting to brush the issue away as if it’s nothing. “It’s just my mom on my back about stuff.”

“What kind of stuff?”

“My uh…my love life.”

“Ah. That’s…awkward.”

He cracks a small smile. “What is it about mothers, hmm?”

I snort. “You do remember who my mother is, right?”

“Your mom may be a little…um…”

I grin at him as he trails off hesitantly, shooting me a sheepish look. “No, please, go ahead.”

He smiles at me apologetically. “She may be a little more … _out there_ than most mothers, but she doesn’t interfere in your love life, now does she?”

I snort. “No, but that’s only because I don’t have one.”

“Well that’s where our moms are different, I guess.” He looks down into his beer, and lets out a heavy sigh. “Wow, all this talking about our moms is super cool.”

I ignore his attempt at humor. “What do you mean that’s how they’re different? You mean she doesn’t like that you’re single?”

He remains quiet for a few moments, avoiding my gaze and turning his glass around in his hands. “In part.”

I feel my heart begin to drop. “Okay,” I say gently. “So what’s the other part?”

When he looks at me, I know. I know that the other part has to do with me. “She just…she doesn’t know how to back off and it’s starting to get to me, that’s all.”

“That’s not what you were going to say.” When he looks away from me, I dip my head to catch his gaze. “She doesn’t like that you’re not dating because of me.”

He looks at me, remorseful, as if it’s his fault somehow. “She likes you, Will. She really does.”

“But she doesn’t want us dating.”

He says nothing, which pretty much says everything.

“I see.” I mutter. “I guess, what with the reputation my family has and all―”

“You don’t have to do that. You’re allowed to be offended, Will.”

I take his hand and squeeze it. “She wants what’s best for you, and she doesn’t think that’s me.” I force a smile. “I happen to agree with her.”

He snatches his hand away from mine.  “Jesus, Will.”

“I-I just meant that I don’t think anyone is good enough for you.”

He watches me, like he’s trying to muster up enough courage for whatever it is he’s about to say.

“What about Brian? Is he good enough for me?”

I feel myself go still, my smile melts away. He had to know bringing up this guy’s name would hurt me. “Brian?”

You have to understand, this guy Brian? He’s all smiles around me, but he’s got a thing for Sonny, and he _knows_ what the situation is. He knew I was waiting for Sonny, that I love him, but he still flirts, he still hangs around Sonny, like I’m a stupid little boy that Sonny tolerates so _he_ tolerates me. Never mind that he met Sonny through _me_ , never mind that I never did anything but be a decent friend to him. He wants something? He takes it.

“Why are you even going there?” I pull away from him. He knows how I feel about that guy. He _knows_.

He gives a helpless, miserable shrug. “He came by the coffee house when my mom was there, they hit it off.”

I let out a humorless laugh. “Oh, so he gets on with mommy, does he? Why doesn’t that surprise me?”

“Will…”

“Of course she likes him, he’s perfect. He’s good looking, he’s pre-med, he…he…” I take a big gulp of air. “He doesn’t have a psycho family!”

“He’s not you.”

“Exactly! He’s perfect! I guess they’re just the best of friends now…”

“No, I mean…” He sighs. “Will, you’re not enough for her, but _he’s_ not enough for me, get it?”

I blink at him. “Not really.” And then feeling annoyed and slightly wounded… “Why would you even bring this up? Why throw it in my face?”

“Maybe I don’t want you to just accept that my mother doesn’t think you’re good enough. Maybe I need you to do more than just wait for me. Maybe I want you to stand up for yourself―for us.”

“But there isn’t an _us_ , not yet.”

“Oh yes there is, Will Horton, just as soon as you―”

“Excuse me…” We both look up to see the barman leaning down and placing a drink in front of me. “This is from the gentleman across the way there.” He nods over towards some dark haired, dark eyed ―a dead ringer for Sonny― guy sitting at the bar, watching me.

He lifts his beer glass a few inches from the napkin it sits on and dips his head at the same time. I blink in surprise, and then look at the waiter dumbly. “Um…”

The waiter grins, winks at me and then walks away. I look down at the drink in front of me. “Well…”

“ _Seriously_?”

I look at Sonny and he’s glaring over at the bar.

“What, am I invisible over here?”

“Son―”

“No, Will. We’re quite clearly having an important conversation, how dare he―”

“So what if we’re having a conversation? It’s not like we’re sitting in each other’s laps.”

He narrows his eyes slightly. “Oh, I’m sorry, am I in the way?”

“No, but you’re being a hypocrite.”

“Excuse me?”

“Just a minute ago you were throwing Brian’s obsession with you in my face, trying to get a reaction out of me, but the second another guy shows a slight bit of interest in me you lose you shit.” I shake my head at him, exasperated. “That doesn’t strike you as ironic?”

Pink touches his cheeks, and I’m annoyed that even now, I find it charming. He drops his gaze. “I guess you have a point.” He bites his lips again, and goddammit it makes me want to kiss him. “But that wasn’t what I wanted.”

“Then what? Something about me doing _more_ than just waiting for you?”  I squeeze my eyes shut in frustration. “Everything you said that night, about not feeling right with yourself, about being made to feel empty and used…I take that _very_ seriously, Sonny.” I wet my lips, and stare him dead in the eye. “I love you, and I never want you to feel that way again. So like I said, it’ll take as long as it takes, and I’ll wait for however long you need me to, but… now you’re telling me I’m doing the wrong thing? That I should take a leaf out of _Brian’s_ book?”

“ _No_.”

“Because I can stalk you if you want me to. That’s not a problem.”

He cracks a small, fond smile, closing his eyes for a second. “Don’t stalk me, Will.”

“Then what, Sonny? Because I’m just …I’m over here feeling confused and a little… _hurt_ , to be honest.”

“Don’t, please…” he says softly, his brows arching sadly as he scoots closer. “That’s not what…. I-I was just trying to find a way to get to _this_ conversation, you know?”

I blink at him. “This conversation?”

He watches me, and I realize that he’s nervous. “You said you’d show me how loyal you could be, and even though I was doubtful at the time…” He lifts one shoulder in a small shrug. “I think it’s what I needed. I think…” he bites his lip again. “I think I feel more like my old self again. I got lost for a little while, and then you came along and just…” he looks at me, and shakes his head gently. “You just gave me careful nudge. You steered my back in the right direction.”

I instantly soften. “That’s good―you feeling that way, I mean.”

He nods. “It is.” Then something flitters across his expression. “Except when I have people on my back who don’t know the first thing about any of it, telling me to distance myself from the very person who pulled me out of this…this _funk_.” He scoots a fraction closer. “That’s why it frustrates the hell out of me when you’re so quick to try and rationalize _their_ shortcomings. You’re willing to give them the benefit of the doubt, despite the fact that they won’t do the same for you.”

“They?” I ask quietly.

“What?”

“It’s not just your mom?”

He winces and drops his gaze. He has a distinct ‘oh shit’ aura about him.

“Sonny, just how many people are giving you heat over this? Over _us_?”

“It doesn’t matter.”

“It matters to me.”

He struggles for a few seconds before he answers me. “Just…just a few friends. My mom, Brian, and a few friends, that’s all.”

I can feel myself shrinking back against my seat. “Oh,” I whisper. “I had no idea I was so unpopular.” I try to laugh. I totally fail.

“They don’t know you, Will. Not like I do.”

“They know me well enough, Sonny.”

“No, they know you casually. They know your family’s history. But they do not know _you_ , and they don’t know what it is you do for me.”

His words bolster me just a little bit. “Thanks” I whisper.

“I’m sorry I lost my patience with you before.”

I shrug, still feeling slightly subdued. “It’s okay. I get that it must be frustrating standing up for someone who won’t stand up for themselves.”

“It’s not weakness, Will. You’re just kind.”

I sit up and reach for the drink the barman placed in front of me a few minutes ago. I run my finger along the condensation on the glass. “You said that you were just trying to find a way to get to this conversation…”

There’s that nervous look again. Brown eyes watch me, and his throat bobs nervously. “I don’t know if I intended to bring it up this minute, not here. But…it’s been on my mind for a long time and…and when you asked me what was wrong…”

“Alright, regardless of how we got to this point, what is it you wanted to say?”

He’s looking at me, and for the first time since I’ve known him he looks younger than me. He looks uncertain and anxious.

“I’m saying thank you” he says quietly. “Thank you for thinking that I was worth the wait. Thank you making that cynical, cruel voice in head go quiet.”

I swallow hard and just look at him. I look at the most beautiful person I’ve ever seen.

“Thank you for forcing me to remember the things I used to like about myself.”

I blink quickly when I feel a stinging in my eyes, and I smile at him and say quietly: “No problem.”

I feel my heart begin to hammer when his hand rests on my knee under the table.

“You’ve been my friend. My patient, patient friend” he laughs softly. “And…even though I didn’t expect to come out and say this, I…I guess what I’m trying to―”

“Hi there.”

Like a bucket of ice water a voice I don’t know snaps me out of my conversation with Sonny. I’m ripped away from sincere, warm brown eyes and look up to at his doppelganger. It’s the guy from the bar.

“Uh,” I look between Sonny and this other guy quickly. “Hello.”

“I’m sorry to interrupt, but when I saw you walk in here earlier with your friends I promised myself that I’d get your name.”

Talk about awkward. “Um…” I glance at Sonny, and all warmth in those eyes has evaporated. “I’m Will. And this is―”

“Will,” he says smoothly, smiling at me. He holds his hand out for me to shake. “You look like a Will. It’s nice to meet you. I’m Alex.”

“Um, thank you for the drink.” I say, glancing at glass on the table in front of me.

“No problem, you know I’m not usually so forward, but…” he gives a nervous smile, and I have to admit, if it wasn’t for the fact that I’m totally head over for heals for the pissed off guy sitting next to me, I wouldn’t be unaffected by that smile. “…But when someone like you walks by―”

“Alex, was it?” Sonny pipes up beside me, and I get nervous.

“Uh, yeah, how you doing?” Alex holds his hand out for Sonny, who begrudgingly shakes it.

“I’d be better if you weren’t flirting so hard with my future boyfriend here.”

Alex’s expression freezes and he glances at me as he pulls his hand away from sonny. “ _Oh_ , geez, I’m sorry. I didn’t―” he pauses when Sonny’s words obviously take route, and a look of confusion crosses his features. “Wait, future boyfriend?”

I give him an apologetic smile and stand. Sonny stands behind me. “It’s kind of complicated, but you weren’t to know.”

Alex nods. “Sounds its.” He clears his throat.  “Well you can’t blame a guy for trying.”

“We were actually just leaving.” Sonny says behind me, actually taking my hand in his.

Alex steps out of the way, nodding his head, and Sonny strides past him, but I tug his hands to make him pause a second. “Alex?”

He looks back at me just as he was turning away. “Yeah?”

“You see that guy over there by the bar?”

He looks over at the bar. “Uh…”

“Tall, cute, looks kind of bored?”

“I see him.”

“His name’s Neil, he’s a good friend of mine. He’s funny, loyal, and he really wants to dance with someone.”

Alex glances at Neil, and then back at me. He lifts an eyebrow and gives me a sort a crooked smile that is one part attractive, one part made of magic. “Thanks.”

Sonny tugs on my hand discreetly. “Nice meeting you” he says, but the tone of his voice contradicts his words.

I let Sonny pull me along behind him, and follow him to the exit. I think absently that we should have let Neil know that we were leaving, but if my heavy-handed hint to Alex worked, then it probably won’t matter.

We didn’t drive tonight because we wanted to have a drink, so we grab a cab. I don’t say anything when Sonny gives the driver the address to his apartment. He doesn’t say anything either, in fact he doesn’t look at me, and I too elect to staring out of the window, but there’s no ignoring that Sonny’s hand still has a firm grasp of mine, nor how him thumb strokes over my knuckle.

He only lets go of my hand to pay the cab driver and to unlock his front door, and it’s a little jarring to be back in his apartment after so long. I’ve only stood here once, when that guy Tyler took a swing at me and I just instinctually made my way over here. This was where I promised Sonny I’d wait for him, until he was ready. This was where I promised to save all my kisses, all my everything for him, and ever since then it’s been this…this unspoken agreement that I wouldn’t come back here until I was invited.

Well, here we are, and quite frankly the silence is killing me. I’m about to say something, but Sonny finally beats me to it.

“So,” he says, throwing his keys on his desk and turning to face me as I close the door behind me. “Turns out I’m a big jealous freak.” He gives me an endearingly apologetic smile.

“Yeah, it’s kind of nice.” I say, rubbing the back of my neck.

His shoulders slump with what I’m guessing is relief, and he laughs softly.  I grin at him, and then he walks over to his refrigerator and takes out two bottles of water and throws one to me which I easily catch. “Thanks.”

He nods, taking a sip of his own. “You should probably text Neil.”

I pull my phone out of my pocket, about to do just that. “Huh, speak of the devil.”

“What?”

“He beat me to it.” I open his text, and then bark out a surprised laugh.

“What?” Sonny smiles. “What does it say?”

I turn the phone around to show him the screen, and he laughs too.

_Thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you xxxxx_

I shake my head and then place my phone on his desk. When I look at him again he’s standing a lot closer then he was before.

“So…we were kind of having an important conversation back there, before that guy came over.”

“Alex.  You might as well say his name, I have a feeling we’ll be hearing a lot about him tomorrow from Neil.”

Sonny lets out a breath and smiles, looking away. “Before Alex came over.”

I inch closer. “Yeah, I get the feeling you were about to say something that might make me very happy…I mean if I’m on the right track…”

He closes the distance between us, and reaches out to run his fingers along the seam of my shirt, over the buttons. He won’t look me in the eye.

“I was…I was saying that…um…”

“You were thanking me for a whole bunch of stuff,” I say softly, amused by his sudden shyness.

He nods his head, still fiddling with my shirt. “Yeah, yeah I was. And I was leading up to saying…t-to bringing up what we talked about so long ago. You know, how I didn’t feel like I could be in a relationship, and how I didn’t really understand myself anymore…”

He finally looks at me, and I’m actually proud of how my stare is unwavering. His hand settles flat against my chest, and it’s his gaze this time that drops to glance at my lips and back.

“And I just feel so differently now,” he murmurs to me. “Like you …you came along and filled up this Will-shaped hole in my heart.” Warm, brown eyes, glassy with emotion watch me. “You just healed me right up, and you did it quietly, respectfully.”

I wet my lower lip and lift my hand to brush my thumb against his cheek. “I’d do anything for you.” I whisper.

He watches me, and I can feel his breathe coming in quick little puffs against my lips. “You remember when you asked to kiss me? You wanted to kiss me so bad and I pushed you away?”

I lift my chin a fraction in response, glancing between those incredible eyes and his lips. “Yeah.”

He swallows hard, and frowns like he’s hurting. “Kiss me,” he breathes. “Please? Please kiss ―”

Before he can finish his sentence I dart out my hand, grasping his waist and pull him against me. The breath rushes out of him and his chest thumps against mine and finally, finally, my lips are on his. What starts as a hard kiss, a hard come-here-now-I-can’t-live-another-second-without-having-kissed-you kiss soon melts in something slow and sensual.

This is how kissing should always be. _This_ is what I’ve waited for. And not just for the past six months as promised, but for forever. I have waited for this one kiss, this Sonny-with-a-side-of-love-me-always-kiss for forever.

He pulls away first, just a fraction, his eyes still closed and his brow touching mine. He’s breathless, but my lips chase after his and smiles into our second kiss because I am all over him. I keep my kiss sweet and loving, but my hands have forgotten their manners.

“Wow,” he chuckles between kisses. “You…you really like to kiss.”

“I like to kiss _you_.” I practically growl against his lips.

“Yeah you do, don’t you?” he murmurs sexily, his arms winding around my shoulders.

“Can I…there’s something I’ve wanted to do for a while now …”

“What?” He asks, and then kisses me again, like he can’t _not_.

“It might sound a little immature.”

“Okay, then.”

“Your butt.”

He snorts. “Yeah?”

“My hands.”

“Uh huh?”

“I’d like to introduce them.”

His hands cup my face as pulls me close to touch his lips to mine, even as he laughs. “You’re amazing.”

“I’m also waiting for an answer.”

Heat slams into his cheeks and he bites his lip as he shakes his head. “Alright fine, go for it, grope away, weirdo.”

I take his lips in a slow kiss just as my hands slide down from his waist to cup that perfect ass. I grin into the kiss. “Awesome.”

His arms unwind from around my neck and his hands slide down my chest, resting there, and then freakin’ _rub_. My breath catches.

“Seems only fair” he murmurs.

My mouth instantly goes dry and I close my eyes. I can feel a flush creeping up my neck, both from arousal and embarrassment, because I’m pretty sure that there’s no hiding just _how_ turned on I am.

“Will,” he says soothingly. “It’s okay.”

He takes a step back, his expression something slightly more serious, and pulls me along with him by the front of my shirt. My heart damn near beats out of my chest when I realize he’s pulling me towards the bed.

“R-really?”

“Unless you’re not ready, which is totally fine.”

I practically sputter in my eagerness to answer him. “ _No_! I-I mean I’m ready, and I want to, _believe_ me, but…aren’t we supposed to go on a date, or something?” I look down when I realize that he’s unbuttoning my shirt, when I look back up at him; he’s got this soft look in his eyes.

“I already know you, Will, better than anyone.”

“True.” I suck in a quick breath when his hands slide up my stomach, over my chest, and then ease my open shirt down, off my shoulders.

“I think you can easily say the same thing about me.”

“P-probably.”

“And I think we’ve danced around each other long enough now.”

“You kind of insisted on the dancing.”

He grins, nods, and then kisses me softly. “I did, and you were very understanding, but I think we’ve both had enough of foreplay.” His hands cup my face. “Unless this is too quick, or sudden, then we can pump the breaks and just make out, anything you want.” His smile is impossibly tender. “I kind of like making out with you.”

I can only stare at him for a moment, but then my hands are furiously working on my belt as I heel off my boots. I ignore his laughter, whip off my belt and then practically claw at the tight fitting, black sweater he’s wearing.

“There may not be a lot of blood in the region of my brain right now, but I’m pretty sure you just gave me the green light to sex you up, yes?”

His laughter is muffled, but still loud as I pull his sweater over his head. His hair is all ruffled and adorable and the top half of his body is now sans clothing. He’s still laughing, but he manages to nod his head.

“Yes, Will.”

“Then be naked. Now.”

He turns us and pushes me down onto the bed, taking me by surprise, and then we’re both shimmying out of clothes as quickly as humanly possible. Eventually nerves do make their appearance, and Sonny takes the lead and takes things down a gear. And then it’s just this blur of…of _really good stuff_.

His mouth on my chest, his head between my thighs, his lips against my ear whispering, telling me not to be embarrassed, that’s it’s okay and he takes it as a compliment. I don’t even recall how he maneuvers us, effortless, or when he pulls out a condom and rolls it onto me. But when I’m inside of him, it’s strange how he’s the one to calm me down, to bring _me_ back from the edge.

Even this he guides me through until instinct takes over, and then his hands are in my hair, over my chest, scraping down my back, and then he’s the one clutching me desperately close. And the way he moves…there’s something rich and primal about how he moves beneath me. His body rolls like a wave, just taking me with him. And it’s a powerful feeling to take the helm of that motion, to move it quicker, a little harder, and to hear the groans it rips from Sonny. And I don’t even mean to, but I can’t help it, I just start babbling about how much I love him. If I wasn’t about to come I’d be embarrassed.

I reach between us and take him in my hand because I want―no, I just _need_ this to be amazing for him. And I’m not sure who came first, but one second we’re all strained muscles and noise, and the next we’re this sweaty, tangled mess of hot skin, heaving deep breaths, in and out.

I can feel my body trembling, but when  I rest my head on his chest, just beneath his chin, he holds me close and murmurs to me quietly, settling me down. Eventually I let the motion of his fingers through my hair ease the tremors running through my spine, and I’m like hot liquid; smooth and still, and perfectly content against him... until his lips find mine and we start all over again.

The roles are reversed this time, and he’s the one laying back against me so that I can run my hand through his perfectly disheveled, slightly damp hair. And I can say without a doubt that this is the happiest I’ve ever been in my entire life.

“When―” I break off and clear my throat, surprised that my voice is a little hoarse. “When did it become daylight?” I ask, looking out of the window.

Sonny’s head shifts against my chest just enough for him to follow my gaze. “I don’t know. Seems like just a minute ago that we got back.”

“Hmm.”

“So, technically it’s tomorrow now, today.”

“I guess.” I really do love playing with his hair.

“Don’t you have a class this morning?”

Real life bursts it way through my happy bubble and I squeeze my eyes shut, groaning. “No!” I roll over him, burying my face against his neck, and he laughs, dragging his palm along my spine. “I don’t want to.” I mumble against the crook of his neck.

“You don’t want to what?”

“Get out of this bed. Ever.”

“You have a pretty important test tomorrow; otherwise I wouldn’t have said anything at all.”

“Meh.”

“I’m going to take your apathy towards education as a compliment.”

“You should. Wild horses couldn’t drag me away.”

“What about my mother?”

I lift my head up to frown down at him. “What?”

“She’s supposed to be coming over this morning; we’re going out for lunch, or brunch, or… something.”

“So…you don’t want her to see me here, or…?”

His hand reaches up and strokes along the side of my face, and then down to my neck. “If you want to walk around this apartment naked in front little Miss snooty, I’m cool with that.” He grins. “I’m just trying to give you fair warning.”

I press my lips together, feeling grumpy at the prospect of getting out of this bed and putting clothes on. “I suppose I should get to class…”

“If it makes you feel any better, we can get together tonight?”

“That _does_ make me feel better.”

But despite my words I shift the duvet cover over our heads and kiss him long and hard. It takes quite a bit of effort, and the best shower of my life, but eventually he has me dressed and leaning against the doorframe to the front of his apartment, trying to steal one last kiss.

“If you don’t go now,” he murmurs into our kiss, his hands straying south of my waistline. “Then I’m going to have to drag you back into bed.”

“Cool!” I say, making to push him back into his apartment, but his laugh and his hand against my chest stops me, and I grin at him.

“ _Later_.” And the way he says it, like a promise, sends shivers down my spine.

“Okay, okay, just tell me one thing before I go.”

“What’s that?”

“You’re my boyfriend now, right? I mean…” I lean my head against the doorjamb and I probably look like a lovesick puppy, but I don’t care. “You’re mine now; I’m allowed to say that?”

“Is this so you can tell a certain pre-med someone to back off?”

I shake my head. “No. I just want to be able to say it in my head. I want to scribble it in my note book. I want to tell my friends when they ask me why I’m so happy.”

He leans close, his nose brushing mine for second. “I’m yours, Will.”

I don’t know what my face looks like when he says that, but he laughs. “Cool.” I say, and then kiss him one last time before I force myself to push away. “I’ll text you.”

He bites his lip. “Okay, see you soon.”

“See ya.”

Turns out my timing was sort of perfect. Just as I’m a safe distance away from his apartment, I see his mother’s car pull up. I try to imagine the conversation between sonny and his mother, how he’ll try and break it to her that he’s dating the misfit, troublemaking offspring of Sami Brady, and then I pause. Why not give him a hand? Given that he was happy for me to parade around naked in front of her; I don’t think he’ll mind me asserting my place a little. It may be soon, but it’s also been a long time coming.

When I knock on his apartment door it’s his mother who answers. The instant wariness in her eyes when she looks at me is so obvious to me now. “Will, what are you doing here?”

“Good morning, Mrs. Kiriakis. I uh…” I trail off when I spot Sonny behind her, his expression morphing from surprise to masked amusement in a second.  “Hey, you.” I say to him, walking past his mother and straight to him.

“Hey,” he says breezily, and kisses my cheek.

“I left my phone here last night.”

“Oh, did you now?” he says, not buying it for a second.

“Yeah, I’m such a scatter brain.” I turn around to Adrienne who looks shocked and thoroughly annoyed. “I’m sorry to interrupt, I know you have pans today, I won’t be a second.”

I look around his desk, searching for the phone that’s in my pocket. “Hmm…”

“Did it fall down the side of the bed?”

It’s a good thing I’m facing away from them, because a smile splits across my lips. I make sure to smother it before I look back at them. “Let me check, I won’t be a second.” I kneel down beside the bed and take the opportunity to pull my phone out of my pocket. Behind me I can hear Adrienne speaking in a hushed, unhappy tone to Sonny.

“Sonny, what is―”

“Later, mom.”

“Got it!” I say, holding my phone up and standing, facing them. “Must have knocked it off the bedside cabinet.” And maybe that was a little too far because Adrienne is practically glaring at me, her lips pursed.

“Klutz.” Sonny says knowingly.

“Yep. Anyway, I’ll get out of your hair. Have fun today, and I’ll see you tonight.” I lean close, and at the last second I change course. Instead of kissing his cheek I kiss him full on the mouth. Hard.

When I pull away, I wink at him. “Later.”

“Later” he says.

“Goodbye, Mrs. Kiriakis.”

“Will.”

Just as I close the door behind me, I glance back at him to make sure he’s okay―that I haven’t just landed him in it before walking out. I’m instantly reassured, because he’s looking at me in a way that I’ve wanted and hoped for, for what feels like the longest time.

He’s looking at me like I hung the moon.

The moon _and_ the stars.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


End file.
